Hijikata Toushirou ( 土方 十四郎 Hijikata Tōshirō ) is now the former Second-in-Command of the Shinsengumi. Introduced as the brains of the Shinsengumi, he is commonly known as the Demonic Vice-Commander , striking fear into his enemies and subordinates (with the exception of Kondou Isao and Okita Sougo).

He had a split personality named Toushi ( 十四 Tōshi ), a soul otaku, created from an accursed sword he bought. This incarnation first appeared Shinsengumi Rebellion Arc and lastly Teradako Tsuu's Fan Club Voting Competition Arc, where this personality dies sacrifice his life in a final battle of boxing match against Shinpachi.

Contents

Background

Hijikata Toushirou was the son of a mistress and a rich farmer. His father was known to be a spoiled and irresponsible man. Toushirou was born after his father died.
His identity as an illegitimate son was revealed after he lost his mother and home.

His older brother Hijikata Tamegoro welcomed Toushirou to the Hijikata home. Unlike his father, Tamegoro was known to be a responsible, good man and took care of him. Toushirou viewed Tamegoro as a fatherly figure and was very fond of him.

When Toushirou was eleven, there was a large fire in the village, and some bandits used this opportunity to break in and tried to attack Toushirou. In the attack, Tamegoro protected Toushirou from getting killed by the bandits and ended up losing his eyes.
Unknown to Toushirou, he was driven by rage and attacked the bandits. When he came to his senses, he was holding the bandits' knife, and the bandits were strewn across the floor, each with injuries to their eyes (similar to the ones that they inflicted on Tamegoro).
His other siblings saw what had happened, and they all stood glaring in fear at him in silence. (this happened in episode 244)

Toushiro was known as "Thorny Toshi" after this incident, and he could no longer be with his beloved brother. He left his home to become stronger and became a trouble-making ronin, seeking out fights in various dojous in Bushuu 武州.

Losing face, the members of other dojous that he had previously fought against decided to team up to take him out. Hijikata fought, but didn't stand a chance against such numbers.
Kondou Isao, who was watching, decided to pick him up and take him back with him to his dojou. In the Dojou, Toshirou met the Okita siblings, Okita Sougo disliked Toshirou, as he gets the most attention from Kondo Isao and Okita Mitsuba. Toshirou later became a student to the Dojou and an underclassman to Sougo.

Before leaving to Edo with Kondou Isao and Okita Sougo, Okita Mitsuba confessed to Toushiro, but he rejected her, believing that with the life of violence that he lives, he would not be able to provide happiness for her.
He went back to his brother's home for the first time in many years, and had a final dinner with him. Toushiro refused to speak to him, but Tamegoro ask Toushiro to send him letters regularly.

In Edo, Hijikata would meet new friends and would continue to grow stronger as a member of, what would later become, the Shinsengumi.

Appearance

He appears as a very handsome and attractive man. Hijikata has short, dark green hair and gun-metal blue eyes. His usual attire is a Shinsengumi uniform, and on his days off he can be seen with a dark yukata & sandals.
As his otaku alter-ego, Tosshi, he wears a light-blue, ragged vest, a red shirt underneath, a red headband and black pants.

Personality

Having to endure being hated by his other family members for being an illegitimate son, being indebted to his older brother, and having no place to belong, he was an outsider. Despite this, he never stopped moving forward and continued to become stronger. He aimed to become stronger because of his deep regret that he couldn't save his brother, and to protect the ones he loves.

Feared by his enemies, and also his underlings, Hijikata the Demonic Vice-Commander (鬼の副長) is very strict and dedicated to his work. He formulated the Kyokuchuu Hatto 局中法度, the 45 Regulations that form the disciplinary framework for Shinsengumi members, and implements them firmly. He is also fiercely loyal to the Commander of the Shinsengumi, Kondou Isao, as seen in the Mutiny chapter when he (with help from the Yorozuya) went to save Kondou from Itou Kamotarou. Hijikata has a strong sense of pride, as seen in the Yagyuu chapter, when he excused his wounds from the fight with Kitaooji Itsuki, to be from getting caught in the automatic door in the Marui Department Store. Another example is when Kondou lost a challenge to Sakata Gintoki (for the right to date Shimura Tae), Hijikata and the whole Shinsengumi went after the Silver-haired samurai to avenge Kondou and the Shinsengumi's honour.[1] Hijikata puts on a tough attitude, but is willing to help those in need, as seen in the Kyuubei chapter and the Mutiny chapter. He has a stubborn streak, and does not like to reveal his weaknesses. He also veils his good or kind actions with exaggerated annoyance and agitation.

Hijikata is a rabid lover of mayonnaise; in fact, he drowns almost all of his food in a ridiculous amount of mayonnaise before eating it, including desserts and coffee.[2] He is also a chain-smoker, and went to great lengths, in fact to other planets, to get his smoking fix when Matsudaira declared a city-wide smoking ban with immediate effect? [3]. He does not lust for women, and does not like cabaret clubs (when he was on leave, he went to the sauna and cinema). He specially dislikes loose and shameless women.

His personality is very similar to that of Gintoki's, as Mitsuba once remarked[4], resulting in the two frequently clashing as rivals.[5], they share the same trait and fear like being terrified of ghost and dentists, but they can reach an unbelievable synchronization when fighting together. However, Gintoki's sword skills are superior to his, as seen when Gintoki won the challenge he initiated (to protect Kondou and the Shinsengumi's reputation) by breaking the blade of his sword.[6]
In Mimawarigumi arc, Hijitaka claims that he and Gintoki are the same due to the fact that they don't seek or expect forgiveness to those they kill but stopping those who are making the same mistake so they can move on.

Strength & Abilites

His weapon of choice is a samurai sword, which would later be the Muramasha sword.

He's very talented in his sword skills and has also shown incredible strength in many episodes (such as in Mistuba arc where he killed almost the entire enemy force by himself). His strength was also mentioned by Shinpachi in episode 163 where Shinpachi realized that he was boxing with the weak coward Toshi and not Hijikata himself; Shinpachi said he wouldn't be standing here if he had taken a punch by Hijikata. Although his sword skills might not reach Gintoki's level, he was able to defeat Sougo in the Mistuba arc. Hijikata is also exceptionally skilled in writing follow ups, as seen when he was helping Shinpachi with his penpal.

Relationship

Family

Hijikata Tamegoro: His older brother who he views as a fatherly figure, although he doesn't speak to him. Toshirou would send a letter every month even after death. Tamagoro always looks forward to them even when blind. Tamegoro was the only person who actually loved and cared for toshiro as a child.

Friends & Allies

Kondou Isao: He is fiercely loyal to the Commander of the Shinsengumi, he views him as the soul of Shinsengumi. During Nobu Nobu's reign, he's been told Gintoki that Kondo entrust him the Shinsengumi's honor, and take care anything left in Edo.

Okita Sougo: Sougo disliked Toshirou at first, because he constantly gets the attention of both Kondou Isao and his sister Okita Mitsuba. However, it was revealed that the main reason for Sougo's hate towards Hijikata is that Hijikata rejected his sister. After the Mitsuba chapter and the Mutiny Chapter, Toushirou views Sougo as a friend during the Shinsengumi Death Game Arc.

Sasaki Tetsunosuke: Tetsunosuke became Toshirou's assistant. Although Toshirou disliked Tetsunosuke because of his Bad boy gangster act, elite background and spoilt behaviour at first, Toshirou defended Tetsunosuke when Sasaki Isaburo talked badly about Tetsunosuke in front of him. After Tetsunosuke learned from Kondo Isao that Toshirou and Tetsunosuke had a similiar background-story and Toshirou should know how Tetsu feels, Tetsunosuke turned from a B-Boy(Bad boy) into C-Boy(Cherry Boy). Tetsunosuke decided to become stronger to walk the same path as the Shinsengumi. In a letter that was addressed to Sasaki Isaburo, Toshirou stated that he is ashamed to admit that he learned one or two things while watching Tetsunosuke struggle.

Sakata Gintoki: They have a love-hate relationship with each other. They are usually seen arguing or making comments about the other (mostly Gintoki) but when the situation calls for it, they aren't afraid to work together when fighting the same fight. He is also shown to be somewhat hesitant, afraid even, to cross paths with Gintoki, knowing that an interaction with Gintoki usually results in something bad. He even said to Tetsu that Gintoki is the man you wouldn't want anything to do with and is the worst of all people and is rotten to the core. With Kondou is about to be beheaded along with Matsudaira during Nobu Nobu's reign and after Shige Shige's death, he did almost ended up like what happen to Gintoki before and the day of Joui war starts, having the person who'd changed their lives better after they tell them keep the honor that has been taught by them carried on, is about to be executed.

Katsura Kotarou: They were enemy once when Hijikata was Shinsengumi, as seen in Episode 209. During his day as Shinsengumi officer, he did shown liking of torturing Katsura, by living him to death until he's old after bargel his hand like around the pipe-like furniture in Be Forever Yorozuya movie. During Nobu Nobu's reign, Katsura sacrifice himself to rescue Hijikata, Gintoki, Tae, Heiji, Haji, and the people inside a bar whom grew tired of Nobu Nobu's reign from a corrupted Bakufu.

Itou Kamotarou: At first, Itou wanted to steal Kondo's position and Hijikata was the only one suspicious of him since Itou, whom still haunted by his past being outcast during his childhood, didn't remember of Kondo's kindness being a friend, and got manipulated by Kiheitai for an uprising in taking over Shinsengumi, until he remembered his peaceful life with Kondo, sacrificing his life for the sake of Shinsengumi's honor, taking a bullet from Kondo. Since he's being branded a traitor and needs to be executed for his rebellion, they won't forget their times together as Itou let his guard down to be killed by Hijikata to atone his sins.

Love Interest

Okita Mitsuba: Hijikata had romantic feelings for Okita Sougo's sister Okita Mitsuba, as seen in the Mitsuba Chapter. But prior to joining the government he rejected her, believing that with the life of violence that he lives, he would not be able to provide happiness for her. As Kondou and the rest of what would later become the Shinsengumi moved to Edo from Bushuu 武州, he deliberately distanced himself from her after she professed her wish to follow him. Out of consideration for her safety and happiness, he told her out loud that he didn't care about her.[7] However, it was later revealed that Hijikata did, in fact, love her. He felt that he was unable to give her the happiness she deserved, which is why he treated her coldly, in order for her to stay away from him and lives with normal person than Hijikata is due to his violent nature is bad of having Mitsuba involved of his dangerous acts. He was seen crying after Mitsuba had died, blaming it on the extra spicy senbei she had sent to the Shinsengumi before her death.[8]

Although Tae finds him attractive and cool, Hijikata, along with Sougo awared how dangerous Tae is when his Chief, Kondo, don't know how to stop stalking her and ended up beaten by her, thus trying to stay out of a stupid manners on her from being beaten by her, unless she and the other girls, consisting Yagyu, Tsukuyo, and sometimes Ayame already push too far, such as unknowingly humiliate their own late-wise Shogun Shige Shige for showing his perverse side. During the Yagyu Arc, she even implied that she wouldn't mind if he had interest in her. Hijikata was also Tae's secret affair during the Timeskip Arc and they had a child together; however, that was the only time these two have shown mutual romantic feelings for each other. Hijikata is entrusted by Kondo to watch over Edo and everything he left behind, as seen after a tyrant Nobu Nobu heartlessly execute an innocent people on a bar and attacks Otae, Hijikata delivers a punch (through Gintoki) in extreme anger.

Enemies

Kuroba Touma: Thought friendly at first, Hijikata becomes suspicious of his doing, thus aware and enraged that he's been working for Joui to sell Shinsengumi out by using his ex-lover and Sougo's sister, Mitsuba in danger, leading her into a dying state caused by an illness. Athough he and Sougo, with the help of Gintoki, kills Touma for good, they are unable to save Mitsuba fom illness.

Sasaki Isaburo: He met Isaburo when Isaburo captured Gintoki, Isaburo mocked his half brother in front of him. Hijitaka protected Tetsunosuke because he can relate to him. When Tetsunosuke was captured by Check it Gang, Isaburo was willing to kill him and this made Hijitaka angry. He's even more angrier when Mimawarigumi serves Nobu Nobu.

Hitotsubashi Nobu Nobu: Hijikata knows that he's responsible for Shige Shige's death, and Shinsengumi's defunction, even dictatoring the country for allying with Tendoshu, such as killing an innocent people who have done nothing wrong, especially on one of what Kondo's left behind, Otae.

Story

The first appearance was when Katsura Kotarou tried to recruit Gintoki but the Shinsengumi followed them, Hijikata Toushirou witness Gintoki throwing an explosive bomb outside to save lives. This causes the Shinsengumi on high suspicion, expecially Hijikata Toushirou who wonders whats the connection between Katsura and Gintoki.

When Shinsengumi appeared, Hijikata Toushirou in place of Kondo Isao (he was stalking Shimura Taeat the time) lead an attack against Joui Patroits.
After learning that a silver hair samurai beat Kondo Isao at a duel, the whole Shinsengumi went seeking Sakata Gintoki. In the end Hijitaka lost against Gintoki, although Sougo wants to challenge but Kondo claimed better not to.

Gengai Arc

Rengokukan Arc

at Yorozuya Hijikata tried to stop Gintoki from trying to enter the Rengokukan to get revenge for Kidoumaru but Gintoki explain his way of living as Hijikata thinks he is a real fool. Though when he sees that Sougo joins to put down the Rengokukana also as an similiar fool to Gintoki he reluctanly joins also. Later on, Hijikata together with the Shinsengumi shows up at the The Rengokukan to arrest the owners even though their interference would have cost them their heads.

Memory Loss Arc

Umibozu Arc

Train Samurai Arc

Benizakura Arc

Toushirou would instruct Yamazaki Sagaru to spy on Gintoki to found out the connection between Katsura and Gintoki. But in the end Yamasaki wrote a school like essay with no crucial information.

Okita Mitsuba Arc

Okita Mitsuba, Okita Sougo's sister, came to Edo because of her fiance Kuraba Touma. She spends the afternoon with Sougo and Gintoki, who pretended to be his best friend. When arriving at her fiance's mansion, Sougo leaves first as Gintoki and Sougo talks for a bit. Toushirou arrives to the gate of the mansion with Yamazaki to see Kuraba regarding their investigation, when Mitsuba sees Toushirou, she faints due to her frail body. Sougo comes over to the mansion and tells Toushirou to stay away from her. Later in the dojo, Toushirou and Sougo have a kendo fight. Toushirou tells him that Kuraba has illegal dealings with the Joui extremists, that he is just using Mitsuba to get close to the Shinsengumi, but Sougo tells him to slow down the investigation if not stop it, since Mitsuba does not have much time left, he wants to give her a happy and normal life. But Toushirou just tells him that he does not care about Sougo, and that they are doing a trade tomorrow. When Mitsuba is then in a critical state, Kondo, Sougo and Gintoki are in the hospital looking after her. That's when Yamazaki barges in and tells Kondo that Toushirou went of to finish off Kuraba on his own, because Sougo's title could be stripped if others find out that his sister is related to someone with the Joui. Sougo feels guilty from hearing this, Kondo tells him to stay by his sister as he gathers the Shinsengumi to help Toushirou. Sougo tells the "sleeping" Gintoki about their past, how he was angry that Toushirou did not respect him as his sempai to how Toushirou never accepted Mitsuba because he could die anytime. He runs to help Toushirou with Gintoki. Toushirou just got shot in the knee, just in time, Kondo and the Shinsengumi show up to help, but when Kondo turns to face Toushirou, he goes missing. He catches up with the car that Kuraba is escaping in, and destroys it with the help of Gintoki and Sougo. They all head back to the hospital, but the doctors could not do anything to help her, Sougo was by her side for her last moments as Toushirou was at the roof eating the spicy food that was meant for Mitsuba from Gintoki.

Fuyo Arc

Owee Arc

The shinsengumi competed against the yorozua and Katsuo (Katsura in a mario costume) in an attempt to get the Owee. Hijikata was dragged along by Kondo, who was threatened by Tae to get the game console. The first two challenges were between Kondo and Katsuo, and Shinpachi and Yamazaki. The third challenge was a Dragon Quest like virtual game in a tag-team format (Hijikata & Okita vs Gintoki & Kagura). The first team to defeat the northern bandits would win the Owee. Because of glitches in the game, Hijikata started with 3 hp, all of which he loses after stubbing his toe, in a similar position, Gintoki was poisoned. The two, Hijikata and Gintoki, are forced to team up after being abandoned by their partners. They work their way to the cave and eventually fight the bandits. But, the game is stopped short after Gintoki realizes that the four have been beating all the audience members due to lack of sight with their virtual glasses and gloves.

Shinsengumi Crisis Arc

Toushirou went to a blacksmith to repair his Katana and he grabs the cursed Muramasha sword as a replacement. Toshirou encounters a group of Joui Patriots and he was possess by the cursed Muramasha sword as a cowardly Otaku called Tosshi. Itou Kamotarou saves Toushirou and returns to the Shinsengumi headquarters. Toushirou warns Isao that Kamotarou is seeking to take Isao out of his position. Gradually the cursed sword becomes stronger, affecting Toushirou to step down his role in Shinsengumi.
When Toushirou takes back control from Tosshi, out of his pridefulness he ask the Yorozuya for help to protect Shinsengumi. With a afraif Toshi the Yorozuya decides to help them as they steal a shinsengumi police car. They then chased after the train which Kondou and Isao was on, before they got to him, Sougo had already disconnected the trains, making distance between Kondou and Itou as he is on the train with Itou and his group. Kondou finds out the reason why Toushirou was acting the way he was, he ends up regreting treating him the way he did and taking away his position. He tells the Yorozuya to take Toushirou away from the battle, as Toushirou has no intention of fighting the way he is, and tell the Shinsengumi that he himself died in action. Toushirou takes back control from Tosshi and tells the Shinsengumi that Kondou was saved, and that they should keep fighting. Hijikata jumps to the train where Isao was located as they both engage each other in battle. Later on, the train that they were on blew in a bridge up by Kawakami Bansai, who was working with Itou but in secret had made plans by the Kiheitai. as the remaining train is about to fall of the broking bridge a Kiheitai helicopters comes in to kill the survivor in the train including Hijikata. At that moment Itou uses himself as a shield againts the bullets from the helicopter to save the others. At that point he finally found out that he already found the "bond" he was searching for so long. After Gintoki manage to break down the helicopter together with Bansai Hijikata comes up from the falling train and joins the shinsengumi to fight the rest of the Kiheitai soldiers. Toushiro later decide to fight with Itou in his final battle so that he could die as a respectable samurai. The duel ended up with Hijikata's victory and Itou died.

Monkey Hunter Arc

Toushirou and Sougo both particiapated in the Monkey Hunter game as they were both turned into screwdrivers. They later grouped up with the Yorozuya, Katsura and Isao, and fought against the Amanto who turned them into screwdrivers.

Correspondence Arc

When the correspondence goes downhill, Hijikata's skill as a follow-up man is proven when he artistically writes a reply back to Shinpachi's correspondent. All would have been well, however, if he hadn't forgotten to white-out Kondo's musings about Otae

Shinsengumi Death Game Arc

He and Sougo got stuck in Jizaw's game. (Parody of the movie "Saw") Hijikata proved that he and Sougo were true friends and none of the two got killed.

Otsu Arc

Toushirou had been fighting with Tosshi all this time as he thought that over time, Tosshi would dissapear, instead he persisted. There were times that Tosshi would take over his body, like when Toushirou just finished assembling a shelf, it would suddenly be filled up with otaku DVDs. So he decided to fulfill Tosshi's wish of being able to leave a mark on the world by becoming the captains of Otsu's official fan club. Hijikata enters the competion for Otsu's official fan club as he had already assembled over five thousands otakus on his team while the only opposing team was Shinpachi's Terakado Tsuu fan club in which a lots of members had gone over to Hijikata's team.

Character Poll Arc

Kabukicho Stray Cat Arc

When Gintoki and Katsura turned into cats and Kondo into a gorilla, they went to beg some food. Hijikata gave them mayonnaise in belief they liked it as much as he did.

Timeskip Arc

First he appeared to have drastically changed, allowing Yamazaki hit and insult him while he just smiled. He eventually revealed to Shinpachi that he too hadn't change at all. This was proven false when Shinpachi hit everyone with paper fan to destroy an alien wart which caused people with ambition to change.

Vacation Arc

Host Club Arc

He was persuaded to become host along with Sougo

Baragaki Arc

Shinsengumi finally out found out that Gintoki is the infamous Shiroyasha 白夜叉 joui patriot when he revealed it.

Toushirou knowing that Gintoki is Shiroyasha instructed Yamazaki to spy on Gintoki again, however he is not interested in Gintoki's past but those around him mainly Katsura. By using Gintoki as bait, Yamazaki would patiently observe. However Yamazaki at his limit changed his target to Tama who he has fallen for.

Trivia

Based on the historical Hijikata Toshizō 土方歳三, he was the Shinsengumi's vice-commander, and was known as the demon of the Shinsengumi. Hijikata strictly enforced rules in the Shinsengumi, leading to the creation of the Kyokuchu Hatto (the clauses or regulations for the Shinsengumi) to control the members, but it also caused many to lose their lives.

Hijikata was originally meant to be Gintama's main character, but with his appearance being identical to the one of Gintoki.

His seiyuu, Nakai Kazuya, coincidentally voices several swordsmen, including Zoro in the anime and manga series, One Piece, Mugen from Samurai Champloo, and Date Masamune from Sengoku Basara.

He has a big Mayo addiction.

He is a smoker. He has tried to quit smoking, but (supposedly) failed.

He also has a tendency to cry after watching movies that are not particularly emotional (as seen in Episode 40 after he watched Alien vs. Yakuza.)

The Kamen Rider character Kosuke Nitoh (Kamen Rider Beast) from Kamen Rider Wizard is inspired from Hijikata, such as their liking of mayonnaise.

Quotes

(To Okita Sougo ) "It's time for the Shinsengumi to shine, it's going to be a fun fight"

(To Sakata Gintoki ) "He may be a gorilla, but to us he's our precious commander. He's my comrade and with this one sword we made shinsengumi together! I won't allow anyone disgrace our Shinsengumi, if there's anyone who would obstruct that path, then with this sword I'll cut him to shreds"

(to Shinsengumi about Kondo Isao) "The Bakufu is of no use to us humans, you should all realise that by now. What are your swords for? To protect the Bakufu, to protect the Shogun? Not me. Don't you remember? Back then, we had no education, no place to call our own. A bunch of rougues who only knew how to use a sword. Who was it that welcomed us to a filthy washed up dojo? Then when the sword ban came, the one who lost his own sword along with his dojo, and yet didn't abandon us, who was it? The same guy who brought back our lost swords once again, who was it? For that, the only orders I take are the ones from the mouth of Kondo-san, not the Bakufu or the Shogun."

(To Kitaooji Itsuki) "I don't care if i lose an arm or a leg, as long as i am still breathing i'll keep fighting, that's a street fight for you"

(To Yagyuu Kyuubei) "I don't care if one of my comrades bites the bust. I'll just kill that many more to make up for it. They don't need any sad words. All I can do for them is... keep fighting until I croak too... and give my best, like they did."

(To Kondo Isao) "I will give you my life. You are charged with a responsibility in exchange for it. That is to not die! You have to live on no matter what. No matter what disgrace you have to face, and no matter how many members die in front of you, you have to carry on living! That's because as long as you're around the Shinsengumi won't end. We entered the Shinsengumi because we admired you. You're an idiot, so stop thinking about difficult things. All you have to do is continue living in your own way. We will just protect that from everyone else. Kondo-san, you're the soul of the Shinsengumi. We are the swords who protect that."

(To Sakata Gintoki) "Try to commit a crime that's worthy of this punishment. What crime will you be guilty of?"

( To Tokugawa Sada Sada's guards) "Who joined forces with who to start a what d'état? Why don't you repeat that?"